i think collin did a good job with a similar issue to what we see, people forget we almost got relegated with virtually the same defence that was competing for promotion last season. i think the pressure has gotten to fitzsimons and his performances have dropped as a result, i dont think anyone is personally attacking him either on here but if he was to improve i am sure people would support him.

people never did the same with collin, well some.

Just compare.. Last season our defence was OK yet collin conceded blunders, this year we have a shoddy defence and Fitz let's in blunders. How many would collin have conceded?

2 hours ago, samwatto2008 said:

I have said my opinion and backed it up with facts. I'm afraid stats don't lie. I've said the defence is awful but Fitz is apart of that defence. His job role is literally to stop the ball going in the back of the net so he is a part of the defensive structure. Before last season he had no experience what so ever. It annoys me as there was hundreds of keepers that we could have loaned in this season if budget was tight but we decided to risk it all on about 3/4 players. No offence to the lads but the money used to pay for Patching and Crawford could have been used better to bolster the defence. 

Any other club would have their keeper under scrutiny, I guess some don't remember the moaning about the goals Roy Carroll conceded either.

Ross Fitzsimons needs competition, he's a backup keeper at the moment. 

I think it all boils down to opinions.

There's some good points raised, I think we all are aware that the defence is a problem but at the same time Ross Fitzsimons has gone completely within himself. I have no confidence that he can prevent goals, catch a ball or position himself wisely. I want him to do well, I hoped he would - so there's no character assassination going in my opinion (it does seem a little strongly worded).

Yet I know what is meant by it.

The only way I can see the defence improving is if they have a stronger keeper at the back, likewise Fitzsimons won't improve until the defence/midfield take more responsibility but from a football prospect it's easier to get a keeper to command his area and alert other players to the danger. Perhaps Ross struggles to read the game? I don't know but after seeing him jump for the ball early on last Saturday, only to almost touch it for a corner (a very simple catch). I just feel he's got to be replaced.

With a solid defence after a few games, he could prove his worth and regain form and confidence. That's all he needs. 

I'm a big supporter of Fitzsimons but even I'll admit this season he's regressed. I can't imagine it's helping as there’s no competition for the GK shirt, Fitzsimons was effectively told he was the new Number 1 in the summer and his current understudy is a youth team player. Where is Pindroch? Actually who is Pindroch? Is he real or just a figment of all our imaginations? Hopefully Kewell will bring in another keeper, get some competition for the spot back and maybe we'll see the Fitzsimons we saw last season...

@menzinho Harry Kewell covered this sort of in his interview.

He spoke about competition and I he realises that keepers position has known, I hope the young lad Max gets a chance but right now even Pindroch is no use to us. I hope Harry goes out and gets us another keeper in.

I don't see all the things he does but I would say both are failing @Piethagoram.

On ‎03‎/‎09‎/‎2018 at 13:44, Piethagoram said:

@TheSkipperPoint taken but you are not addressing the real problem of lack of marking and the free headers this season.  I doubt Collin would have done any better, as he never came for crosses... The point I ma making is, that no matter who the keeper, its the defence that is failing not necessarily the keeper..but we are all entitled to opinions

I think Fitzsimons needs pressure from knowing a mistake will cost him his starting position, at the moment he does and there is little motivation for him to improve by himself either. I worry that he might make this a full on relegation battle if he don't improve, as even if the defence does with him in goal currently it seems a risky move to rely on him.